While Apple has yet to reach a deal with any of China’s telecoms to distribute its iPhone, the cellular black marketeers have sprung up to fill the void. It looks like the iPhone. It works like the iPhone. It even says “iPhone” on it. But it’s not an iPhone. It’s a Hi-Phone!
The New York Times recently did a great piece on black market cellphones, or “shanzhai” cell phones. According to the Times, it costs about $40 to make one of these knockoff cell phones. The best retail offer I could find for a Hi-Phone was around 600 kuai, or about 90 bucks.
While these lookalikes are decidedly not iPhones, they actually have some considerable functionalities that the JesusPhone lacks. They’ve got removable batteries. They can accommodate two SIM cards. They have expandable storage. The phones are not locked to any provider. They even come in “Mini” sizes!
And they really do work. While the interface isn’t as sleek as Apple’s polished product, the touchscreen does respond to taps, swipes and even pinches. I touched the camera app and was able to take pictures.
Still, the sales people got a little testy when I started snapping too many pictures and I had one clerk snatch the demo product away from my prying lens and hands. While the Chinese authorities have yet to respond to these illegal counterfeits, legitimate Chinese handset makers are complaining about their underground, and untaxed, competition. In the mean time thousands of vendors unabashedly hock these phones everyday in broad daylight. So if the iPhone is too expensive for you, just let me know.
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- Still in the “original” packaging
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- Look! an iPhone MINI!
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- Hi-Phone 3G
Hmm very interesting article. I was curious about the rip off PSPs I saw in China.
From the NYT article you cite: “just as Chinese companies are trying to move up the value chain of manufacturing, from producing toys and garments to making computers and electric cars, so too are counterfeiters. After years of making fake luxury bags and cheap DVDs, they are capturing market share from the world’s biggest mobile phone makers.”
I wonder if Apple enjoys them as sources of innovation. “While the phones may look like famous brands, companies actually add special features like bigger screens, dual-mode SIM cards (which allow two phone numbers) and even a telescopic lens attachment for the phone’s camera.”
Also why does the Chinese gov’t not crack down more? They can’t be getting any tax revenue from it, or are they?
Can they run apps? Can they download apps from apple app store?
I doubt Mr. Jobs would ever deign to say anything nice about these knockoffs.
As for the Chinese government, I bet they will start cracking down…eventually. The government isn’t getting any tax revenue from this large market and legitimate Chinese cell makers are starting to complain more.
As for working with Apple’s network, these phones’ cases and operating systems look like Apple products but they definitely are not. I’m not sure what modified OS they are running (some displayed Microsoft logos) but they almost certainly cannot run any apps from the app store.
heh heh thanks for the info, i am gonna be in beijing next week, gonna get me one of the hiphone 3Gs, $90 huh, gotta sharpen my bargaining skills when they start out asking for $200. lol..any info on which mall to goto?
yeah a couple of suggestions for you! we had success at the Pearl Market (the electronics section on the first floor) and then also, if you’re feeling really ambitious, down in the south of the city at the Muxiyuan market — just to the southeast of the main intersection there we stumbled across a pretty enormous cell phone market, with plenty of hi-phone styles to choose from. shoot us a comment if you need more info on where they are. good luck! -stepho